Larry’s Story

“I was a kid who started in Cabrini-Green, one of the most dangerous and notorious public housing authorities. Boys Hope Girls Hope was a safe haven for me to receive a full-ride scholarship to college and earn a leadership role at a Fortune 500 company—all at the age of 26. None of it would have been possible without Boys Hope Girls Hope.”

Boys Hope Girls Hope alumnus Larry Phillips attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Business. After graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Risk Management and Insurance, he joined Arthur J. Gallagher and Co. as an account executive. During his first two years with the company, Larry approached the Director of Talent Management and Acquisition, offering to help with recruiting efforts in addition to his regular responsibilities. With the firm having no formalized diversity recruiting strategy, he was given an official platform for advocacy. Larry now serves as the Assistant Vice President for Culture and Inclusion, where he creates strategies to increase diversity within Gallagher’s workforce and builds strategic alliances with diverse trading partners. Larry also gives back to his community by serving as the President of the Boys Hope Girls Hope of Illinois Junior Board and mentoring middle school students through the Big Shoulders Fund.

In 2018 during Boys Hope Girls Hope’s inaugural Excellence Awards ceremony and dinner, Larry was honored with the Legacy of Hope Award, given to a member of the Boys Hope Girls Hope alumni community who exemplifies the spirit of being college-educated, career-ready and community-minded.